Everyone has their own preferences doing Redwork. I use a small backstitch at about 1/8 and I do it in a non slip embroidery hoop. I like the little balls of Perle cotton because you don't have to worry about keeping strands of embroidery thread tight. I use the best quality background fabric I can find, trace my patterns onto it with a Frixion pen ( so I can iron it off after) and I knot my thread ends but weave the thread tails under my finished work so no tails show.